Copa Airlines expands its Network of Destinations with the Inauguration of Direct Flights to Mendoza, Argentina

Starting November 15, Copa Airlines will begin non-stop flights from Panama Cityto Mendoza, making it the airline’s fourth destination in Argentina.

The Panama-Mendoza flight will offer four weekly flights with connections through the Hub of the Americas in Panama.

With this new route Copa Airlines opens new opportunities for commercial development and tourism with the rest of the American continent, and strengthens the economy of the wine-producing, mountainous area of central-west Argentina, comprised of the provinces of San Juan, San Luis and Mendoza.

Panama City, November 15th, 2017 – Copa Airlines (NYSE: CPA), a subsidiary of Copa Holdings S.A. and member of the global Star Alliance airline network, today is celebrating the inauguration of its new route from the Hub of The Americas at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City to the city of Mendoza, Argentina, connecting it with the rest of the continent. This new destination will operate with four weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, allowing passengers to enjoy direct flights as well as Copa Airline’s renowned world-class service and excellent on-time performance, which is considered one of the highest in Latin America.

"Copa Airlines is proud to inaugurate new flights to the beautiful province of Mendoza, which today becomes the fourth destination we serve in Argentina, as well as Buenos Aires, Rosario and Córdoba. This new route allows Copa Airlines to continue strengthening the connectivity of the Hub of the Americas, in Panama and Argentina, a country that we have been serving for 18 years,” said Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines. "The connectivity between Panama and Mendoza, will generate important opportunities for the development and strengthening of tourism and commercial activity between both countries and with the other 73 destinations offered by the airline."

Mendoza, the fourth most populous province in Argentina, is part of the prestigious global network of Great Wine Capitals and is considered one the major winemaking centers in the world. Located in western Argentina’s Cuyo region, it offers important cultural and tourism attractions. One of these events is known as La Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia (The National Grape Harvest Festival), named by the National Geographic Society as the second most important harvest festival in the world. This event celebrates the transformation of the grape into wine through the efforts of the winemakers in the vineyards throughout the year as well as the contributions of the specialists that work in the wine cellars and laboratories.

For Gabriela Testa, President of Ente Mendoza Tourism, "this inaugural flight is special for Mendoza, because it is the first time that our province will be directly connected beyond the countries bordering Argentina and, in addition, it’s the result of close collaboration from the start. The joint actions carried out by Copa Airlines and Mendoza Tourism have been incredibly fruitful. This flight generates an exchange that had not occurred on other occasions."

Flight CM 420 will operate initially with four weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, departing at 3:40 p.m. from Tocumen International Airport in Panama, arriving at 12:21 a.m. to El Plumerillo international airport in Mendoza, Argentina. The return flight, number CM 421, will depart from El Plumerillo Airport on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 1:34 a.m., arriving in Panama at 6:30 a.m. For its direct flight to Mendoza, Copa Airlines will operate a new 737-800 that can transport 160 passengers, 16 in Executive Class and 144 in the Main Cabin.

The inaugural flight ceremony, held at Tocumen International Airport in Panama, was attended by airline executives and staff, as well as the Aviation and Tourism authorities of Panama and Mendoza. Representing the Argentinian city was Gabriela Testa, President of Ente Mendoza Turismo; and Panama was represented by, among others, Carlos Duboy, General Manager of Tocumen International Airport and Ing. Alfredo Fonseca Mora, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority.

Copa Airlines currently operates an average of 350 departures and arrivals daily through the Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport, making it the airport with more international connections in Latin America. Copa has also been recognized for the fourth consecutive year as “The most on-time airline of Latin America” by Flight Status. Moreover, the Official Airline Guide (OAG) of London has honored Copa Airlines for the second consecutive year with 5 stars for punctuality naming it as the "Second Most On-Time Airline in the World.”